After raising campaign money across the country and airing commercials since November, Governor Scott Walker is hitting the ground to defend against an upcoming recall election in June.
Eau Claire was among several stops across the state Tuesday, where Walker met with dozens of supporters gathered at a manufacturing company. In his speech, Walker put heavy emphasis on how Wisconsin is heading in the right direction because of the policies he has helped to implement. The governor argued that in “the first two months of the year, more than 17,000 private sector jobs have been created” and “the unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been since 2008.”
During a stop at Services Plus, a manufacturing company in Green Bay, Walker defended the controversial collective bargaining law that sparked the recall effort, and balancing the state budget. “We avoided the massive layoffs of public employees that they saw in other states.”
Walker’s eventual opponent will be decided in a primary election on May 8th. Tom Barrett, Kathleen Falk, Doug La Follette and Kathleen Vinehout all turned in the required signatures Tuesday to appear on the ballot.
However, the governor argues it doesn’t matter which Democrat is on the ballot come June 5th. He said out of state money from big union groups will be behind the nominee, no matter who it is. Walker has also raised a large amount of his campaign funds from outside of Wisconsin.
The governor also made campaign stops in Dane, Milwaukee, and Mosinee.
AUDIO: WAYY’s Mike Ness reports (:56)
Mike Kemmeter-WHBY contributed to this report
